Shutter-type awning



July 15, 1952 H.YW. CHALFANT I 2,602,972 I SHUTTER TYPE AWN-ING 2 SHEETS -SHEET 1 Filed Feb. 2, 1946 a 2 fiw J H 9 La 3 AIL Arro'glv'. 1

y 15, 1952 H. w. CHALFANT 2,602,972

SHUTTER TYPE AWNING Filed Feb. 2, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 IN V EN TOR.

Harvey M C/mlfant Bypg I fl zr q m4 A TORNEV Fig. 2;

Patented .iulylS, 1952 SHUTTER-TYPE AWNING Harvey W. Chalfant, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Chalfant Manufacturing Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 2, 1946, Serial No. 645,178

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an awning of the shutter or adjustable louver type and an object is to provide an improved awning construction of that kind. Shutter type awnings usually comprise a supporting framework for the slats or louvers adapted for attachment to the outside surface of a building adjacent a window or door so as to support the shutter slats or louvers in generally inclined position in spaced relation to the window or door opening served. The shutter slats or louvers are mounted to swing simultaneously from relatively closed positions in which the building opening is outwardly sheltered or protected from weather elements and light into various open positions admitting .any desired amount of light. A further object is to provide an awning construction having the above outlined characteristics and which is light in weight but adequately strong and easily operable for shutter slat adjustment.

Another object is to provide an improved mounting for a generally upright supporting framework for the slats or louvers, which mounting enables quick and easy attachment of the framework into operating position.

A further object is to provide an improved main upper support for a unitary slat and frame assembly andwith provision for quick attachment of the assembly to such upper support.

Another object is to'provide an improved slat or louver mounting and connecting means for the mounting elements in sets respective to the slats.

Other objects include provision of an improved bottom support for a slat and frame assembly and an improved connecting means for slat adjusting arms or levers arranged in suitable pairs or sets.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred form shown in the drawings. The essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

Referring briefly to the drawings;

Fig. l is a fragmentary assembly view of one upper corner portion of the awning;

Fig. 2 is a generally central vertical sectional view of the awning. with the slats or louvers in partially opened position;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view takensubstantially along the line 3-3 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of therslat supporting arms, the supporting rafter only of which is shown in section as indicated at 4-4 on Fig. 5 is a detail diagrammatic view of a portion of one main upper support for the slat and frame assembly; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view showing th preferred detachable mounting for the lower part of said assembly.

While the awning may be attached to a building in any suitable way, the usual support for it is the outer window framework, represented for illustration by a side frame trim member A and an upper'frame or trim member B, Figs. 1 and 2. If the window has a cap strip, the same is preferably removed and a Wider cap or roof piece I is suitably secured to'the top of the framework. The cap piece projects forwardly a considerable distance from the casement framework so as to overhang the top-of the adjustable shutter awning assembly.

A unitary self-supporting framework ill for the slats or louvers comprises a suitable number of rafters 2 of channel shape. and with their webs 3 disposed outwardly away from the plane of the window and their flanges 4 projecting toward said plane. The rafters are interconnected at the base of the shutter assembly by a channel shaped sill or cross-piece 5 which may be rigidly associated, with the rafters as by bolts or rivets 6 extending through downwardly projecting ears 1 on the rafters and through the web 8 of the cross-piece. The upper and lower flanges 9 and 9 of the cross-piece project toward the window.

The upper main support for the unit ll] comprises a suitable number of brackets I2, one only being shown. The same number of sup-porting brackets l2 are provided as there are rafters, that is two or more, one at each horizontal end of the slat assembly unit and in cases of relatively wide windows or wall openings as many additional rafters and corresponding brackets as required.

The brackets I2 (Figs. 1 and 2) are preferably sheet metal members of generally channel shaped form with a base or web portion [3, a pair of forwardly projecting spaced parallel flanges [4 near the bottom of the web and upper parallel flange portions l5 which are rigidly,

The cross piece or sill 5 which rigidly coni 3 treats the lower ends of the rafters 2 is supported by a suitable number of brackets 20, attached as at downwardly bent ends 2| to the window frame. The forward ends of the brackets 26 are preferably bent upwardly as at 22 for abutment with the sill 5. To enable horizontal adjustment of the frame assembly (6 laterally of the brackets 26, which adjustment may be required to orientate the shutter frame with reference to the window, removable clamping strips 23 are provided, as shown by Figs. 3'

and 6, one for each bracket 20. The strips 23 cooperate with the underlying upper faces of the brackets 20 in gripping the cross piece or sill 5. As shown in Fig. 6, the clamping strip 23 is slightly arch shaped and is forced by an attaching bolt 24 against the upper side of the flange 9 of the sill 5. The outer end of the clamping strip preferably abuts the web 8 of the sill channel or lies very close to said web.

To enable easy mounting of the slat assembly framework 10 on the supporting brackets l2 and 20, both lower flanges M of each of the upper brackets l2 are provided with upwardly open somewhat irregular slots I! as shown particularly by Fig. 5. The open ends of the slots freely receive supportin pins such as stove bolts I8 extending through aligned openings in the flanges 4 of the rafter channels. Thus, with the framework unit In swung forwardly temporarily into the position shown at lta, Fig. 5, the supporting pins or bolts l8 may simultaneously be hooked into the slots and then lowered and shifted forwardly away from the building to move the pin of each rafter into the seated position Illa, where it occupies the end of a forwardly extending slightly inclined portion H of the slot H. In that position of the pin IS in the slot H, the frame unit In is retained against upward movement by the overhanging hook portion [9 defining part of the slot.

Thev same result would be accomplished if the forward edges of the flanges 4 of the rafters had throats defining hooks for engagement over pins permanently carried by the brackets l2. The slot in. such case would be L-shaped with the foot of the L terminating at the pin receiving opening of the slot which would be open rearwardly towardthe building. 7

After the frame ID has been engaged with the brackets I2 as just described, the supporting connections 23-24 are established. For enabling the connections to be made, the clamping strips 23 are swung about the bolts 24 from positions generally parallel to. the sill flanges into the clamping positions illustrated by Fig. 6. The nuts of the. bolts 24 are then tightened.

The number of slats or louvers shown is illustrative only. The uppermost slat 25 may be swung from its closed position (not shown), through the intermediate position illustrated in Fig.2. to substantially horizontal fully open position. Such swinging is enabled by the gap between the flange portions and I of the upper brackets I2 and by the fact that the rafters 2 terminate upwardly below such open position of the top slat. In the closed position of the upper slat, the upper edge 25 abuts a depending weatherstrip 26 secured along the forward edge of'the cap piece 1 and in that position the lower edge margin 25" of the upper slat overlaps the upper edge margin 21' of the next lower slat 21. A lowermost slat is indicated at 29 and as shown there are two additional intermediate slats 21, 811 of which are arranged to be simultaneously 4 swung to the various desired generally parallel positions.

The supporting levers, all of which are indicated at 36, are of substantially identical construction except for the shape of curved cantilever portions 3| of the various levers which may differ considerably in the various sets. Each set may comprise a pair or greater number of levers 30. For simplicity and lightness of construction as well as freedom of operation, each of the levers a shown best by Figs. 1 and 4, comprises a flat strip of sheet metal having a fulcrum portion made as an upstruck loop 32 of the sheet metal to provide a clasp for a pivot pin 33 shown in the form of a bolt. The pivot pin lies between the loop and undistorted portion of the lever from which the loop is sheared and outstruck. The levers pass from the fulcrum loop portions outwardly through respective openings 34 in the webs of the rafters 2. Said openings are of sufficient vertical length to enable full swinging of the levers. The inner ends of the levers may be guided by the rafter channel flanges 4 as shown by Fig. 4. Outwardly beyond the curved portion 3! of the levers, the flat end portions 35 thereof are secured as by rivets in face to face contact with the undersides of respective slats. The slats may be wood, metal, plastic, or any other suitable stiff material.

For coupling the inner ends of the slat supporting levers 36 together, individual links connect the inner ends of the various sets of levers in vertically spaced pairs. The preferred construction comprises fairly light wire links 36 to 40 inclusive as shown by Fig. 2. The upper link 36 at each rafter, in common with all the links, has a nearly closed hook portion 4| at its upper end which may be passed through an associated opening 43 (Fig. 4) in the upper lever 30 and then dropped downwardly so that the bight of the hook may pivot freely about the portion 44 of the lever disposed between the opening and the inner end 45 of the lever. All the other links have similarly hooked upper end portion 4]. Simultaneously with hooking of the second link 31 (Fig. 1) into th lever opening, the hook is passed through eye 46 formed as a closed loop of the wire stock at the lower end of the uppermost link 36. The same system is used in assembling all the links, it being noted in Fig. 1 that the hook of the link 38 passes through the associated lever opening 43 and the closed loop 41 of the link 31. As suggested by Fig. 2, each of the lower links 46 has its. closed loop or eye 48 connected to an operating arm 50 of a lever mechanism supported as will be described later.

For securing the lowermost links 40 to the respective operating arms 56, the lower edge of each of the arms has an open slot 5| with a hook portion 52 forming part of its boundary. After assembly of all the links, including the lowermost link 40 with the various slat supporting levers, the eye 48 of the lowermost link is hooked over the projection 52 and the latter is then distorted into partially closing relationship to the slot of the operating arm, thus preventing the links 46 from becoming disconnected from said arms.

The operating mechanism for the links operates upon the lower links 40 to adjust all the awning slats. Said mechanism as shown particularly by Figs. 2 and 3, comprises a rock shaft 55 supported between the planes of the flanges 9 and l 6 of the sill'5-on parallel bracket members 56. The latter may be secured as by weldin to both the flanges and web 8 of the sill channel. The rock shaft is preferably tubular for tortional strength and lightness in weight and may be prevented from endwise movement by abutment brackets 51 secured to the sill in the same manner as the brackets 56. The operating arms 50 are preferably welded to the rock shaft between the pair of brackets 5657. A main operating arm for the rock shaft is shown at 60, Fig. 3 only. The arm 60 may be Welded to the shaft at any convenient point between the brackets 56 so that the arm will fully clear the adjacent rafter 2, although swung into the common plane of the rafters.

For operating the lever 60, any convenient mechanism may be used. As shown, a pull cable 62 is attached to the free inner end of the arm 69, passes over a guiding pulley 63 attached to the adjacent bracket 20 and then downwardly to a winch mechanism indicated at 64. Instead of the winch mechanism, the lower end of the cable 92 may simply be passed through, for example, a key hole shaped opening in the building Wall or a plate thereon and. may have a suitable number of lugs for engagement with restricted portions of the opening to hold the slats in various described adjusted positions. The Winch mechanism, if used, is provided with suitable stops to hold the cable in difierent reeled-in positions. Such a winch with a removable handle 85 is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,719,850. The

weight of the slats is suificient to move the slats toward closed overlapping positions.

I. claim:

1. An awning of the adjustable shutter type comprising a pair of upper brackets each of channel form providing parallel forwardly projecting upright flanges extending away from the wall opening served by the awning, said brackets ineluding respective top flanges the principal planes of which are transverse to the planes of the forwardly projecting flanges, a cap piece carried on the top flanges of the brackets, slat supporting rafters disposed between the forwardly projecting flanges of the brackets and secured thereto, a series of slats pivotally mounted on the rafters, said series including an upper slat which swings from a closed position generally parallel to the rafters to an open position above the rafters and between the top and forwardly projecting flanges of the supporting brackets, and means to secure the lower ends of the rafters to said building.

2. An awning of the adjustable shutter type comprising upper and lower main supports adapted for attachment to a building adjacent a wall opening, parallel rafters each comprising a onepiece metal channel having a web and paired parallel flanges carried on said supports in generally upright positions, a plurality of sets of arms pivotally supported on the rafters, shutters bridging the arms of respective sets for adjustment by the arms from closed to variably opened positions, said arms passing through respective individual openings in they webs of the rafter channels and pivotally supported by pins passing through both said flanges adjacent the web openings, the openings being large enough to permit free movement of the arms but without materially reducing the stifiness of the rafter channels, and control mechanism for simultaneously adjusting the arms.

3. As an adjusting connection between the free ends of a set of slat-supporting arms in an awning of the adjustable shutter type, said connection comprising a series of operatively identical metal wire links each having an eye at one end and a spring hook at the other, each of the hooks loosely engaging a through opening in a respective arm the axis of which opening lies approximately parallel to the principal axes of the links and additionally engaging an eye of another link, whereby the links are directly articulated with each other and each adjacent pair of links are, operatively, pivotally connected with a common arm.

HARVEY W. CHALFANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 380,930 Poppert Apr. 10, 1888 1,800,817 Harbert Sept. 21, 1926 1,813,017 Bond July 7, 1931 1,818,286 Vail Aug. 11, 1931 1,828,598 DArx Oct. 20, 1931 1,956,219 Jenkins Apr. 24, 1934 2,234,712 Swanfeldt Mar. 11, 1941 2,296,467 Dugan Sept. 22, 1942 2,332,339 Pratt Oct. 19, 1943 2,404,178 Johnson July 16, 1946 2,422,704 Russell et a1 June 24, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 423,014 France 1911 

